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DEAR DOC-TALK
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From: Tamara Lee Ann Miller ([email protected])
I am a new subscriber to doc-talk, so I apologize if this query is
repetitive. I am looking for a means to access book reviews, or even
book review digests, via the internet system. I will be doing
comprehensives in April, and am running out of time to do all the legwork
required for photocopying reviews from bound volumes. I would also
appreciate any tips from recent comp survivors.
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We don't know the answer to this one, but perhaps some of you
readers do. Any suggestions?
--dt
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From: Mae Ngai ([email protected])
Dear Tamara:
I just took my orals (U.S. history) before Christmas. I wouldn't want to
make your preparation more stressful than it assuredly
already is, but I would not advise using book review digests to prepare.
I don't know your field, so perhaps it is commonplace in your subject.
But in my preparation, I found it better to read fewer books but to read
them, or at least skim them, than to use reviews. I only found reviews
helpful when I had read the book. A better 'shortcut'in my opinion is to
read the author's journal article that was published while the book was in
progress. Usually the article will contain the main argument.
Re: survival tips. I think that most of my stress came not from the
actual process of studying and learning, but from the exam being an
imposition of authority on my learning. If somehow you can understand
this distinction and separate the two, you will be less anxious. You know
much more than you realize, and you will be able to demonstrate it when
the time comes. I spent the last two weeks before the exam reviewing,
synthesizing, writing mock answers to mock questions. I used an
undergraduate textbook for the big picture.
My exam was on a Monday. On Saturday, I got my hair cut, did a little
Xmas shopping, and got a massage. On Sunday I did some final reviewing
during teh afternoon, had a nice dinner with my family, and watched a
movie on TV. The idea is to clear your head and relax, allow yourself to
feel confident. At my school, it helped to know that the professors WANT
you to pass. And it all went well. I'm sure you'll do fine -- they
usually don't let you take them if you're really not ready.
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From: [email protected] (Zeynep Kezer)
In answer to Tamara Lee Ann Miller's question
I am assuming that she is looking for where to find them, i.e. a daatbase
search and not electronically posted book reviews....
but for instance, in my area a CD ROM search through the Social Science
Abstract, or Humanities Abstracts as well as ART INDEX tend to cover the
bases for all publshed articles in the last 20-25 years.
THe search is simple, as though working on an online catalogue and allows
one to do boolean search, thus allowing for a more flexible search
definition. This is much much much much better than having to go through
volume after volume of yearly listings of article indexes.
Also, now some academic journals make their table of contents pages
available on line --for instance Johns Hopkins Press journals--
but the CDROM search would still be better in my opinion.
Also, on discussion groups such as this, there sometimes are sporadic
postings of reviews and queries for specific books. She could also check
to see if there is a group in her area of interest where she can post
such queries...
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From: James Short ([email protected])
If you have LYNX or something like it, you can try the virtual
library and look in your appropriate subject heading. I know that
"Literature" has a link to the University of Minnesota gopher,
project Gutenberg, etc all of which deal with e-books e-zines and
some e-reviews.
I'm also new to Doc-Talk, so I apologize if the idea outlined below
has been mentioned before.
I took a different approach when I survived my MQE (Major Qualifying
Exam) in Social Psychology a year ago. At my institution,
undergraduates can do a variety of independent studies, ranging from
TA-ing for a class to collecting data/writing their senior research
project. When I found a group of undergrads wanting 3 credit hours of
Guided Readings (a variety of independent study) to fill out their
schedules, I took them under my wing and had each do an in-depth
literature review of one of my MQE topics. Every week, I met with
each student to discuss the major issues regarding the topic; at the
end of the quarter, each student turned in two copies of a paper
consisting of an in-depth analysis of their topic area. I kept one
copy for my file and returned the other. I also reimbursed students
for copies of articles, etc, that they had made, provided that the
article was useful and not a duplicate of any I already had in my
collection.
While it was not a substitute for going to the library and doing a
lot of work on my own, having students do a lot of the legwork
enabled me to work more efficiently and doublecheck my own analysis
of the literature with someone else. It also gave me some social
support, lessened my stress, diffused my feelings of anomie, etc, by
being able to have intelligent discussions of obscure topic areas
with someone else in a non-judgmental environment.
Of course, it was also very educational for the undergrads, as well.
I hope this was helpful.
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From: Tosaka Yuji ([email protected])
You can readily access book reviews if you get yourself connected,
either directly via internet or via major BBSs like Delphi, to
the DIALOG databases. While a bit costly, all sorts of reference
materials are electronically available as in bound volumes.
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From: Elizabeth Lane Lawley ([email protected])
Regarding Tamara Miller's question on book reviews...
The first place to ask would be your university's library. Most book
review databases are not public domain, and when they're made available
on the Internet, access is generally limited to the members of an
institution that has paid for that access. (CARL, for example, used to
provide the Choice Book Reviews database for free, but now restricts
access to patrons of libraries subscribing to the service.) It's
possible that your university has these databases available locally,
or perhaps on CD-ROM, which would be just as easy and quick as an
online search. The library may also have discounted or free online
searching available for graduate students, and an experienced database
searcher will find what you need on a system like DIALOG a *lot* faster
than you could dredge it up on the net.
The Internet is a good tool for some tasks, but the library is really
the best starting point for most focused information seeking tasks.
(Of course, I'm a bit biased since my doctoral work is in library &
information studies...)
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From: Tom Brown ([email protected])
I doubt if you will find copyrighted book reviews on the
Internet. There may be a workaround though. Since many
academic books are published as articles first, you may
be able to find the article abstracts online.
I have used the UC's MELVYL system to read abstracts.
Unfortunately, you need a password to access that
particular section of melvyl by internet, but perhaps
your school's library has a similar service available
online. Good luck.
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